National Cowboy Museum announces Cowboy Crossings award winners and total sales during Opening Weekend.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Cowboy Crossings, one of the nation’s foremost annual Western art sales and exhibitions, is now open to the public at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. During Opening Weekend, Oct. 5 – 7, gross sales exceeded $986,310 with a portion of those proceeds benefiting the Museum’s educational programs.
The event and exhibition offers a unique combination of more than 150 pieces of art represented in different mediums featuring the Cowboy Artists of America (CAA) 52nd Annual Sale & Exhibition as well as the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA) 19th Annual Exhibition & Sale.
“We are pleased by the tremendous support for Western art from across the country,” said Chief Financial Officer and Interim President and CEO Gary Moore. “The combination of working art such as saddles, bits and spurs, and rawhide braiding, along with the fine art of painting and sculpture, helps many individuals connect with the West in ways they might not have previously considered.”
Clifton, Texas, CAA artist Martin Grelle’s piece, Expectations, was the show’s highest selling piece at $54,000. The highest selling TCAA piece was a sterling silver shot glass set and tray by artist Scott Hardy of Longview, Alberta, Canada, selling for $31,000.
The CAA exhibition is available through Nov. 26, 2017, and TCAA will be on display through Jan. 7, 2018. Unsold art is available for purchase through The Museum Store at (405) 478-2250 ext. 228. For more information, visit nationalcowboymuseum.org/cowboy-crossings.
A full list of winners from the weekend’s awards show is as follows:
- The CAA Stetson Award recipient, selected by active CAA members as the best compilation of individual works, was Paul Moore of Norman, Oklahoma, for his six bronze sculptures: Old Man Losing His Heron, When His Heart is Down, Tug of War, Blessing at Wuwuchim, Hopi Two Horned Priest, and Young San Felipe Green Corn Dancer.
- The Anne Marion Best of Show Award, chosen by anonymous artist judges from the four gold medal winners, was given to Grant Redden of Evanston, Wyoming, for his painting, Feeding the Flock.
- Jason Scull of Kerrville, Texas, earned the Ray Swanson Memorial Award for his bronze relief, Waitin’ for Daylight. The award is given for a work of art that best communicates a moment in time, capturing emotion.
- Grant Redden received the Oil Painting Gold Medal Award for his painting, Feeding the Flock.
- Martin Grelle of Clifton, Texas, received the Oil Painting Silver Medal Award for his painting, Expectations.
- Whirling Wind on the Plains, a Texas limestone sculpture by Oreland C. Joe Sr. (Navajo/Ute), of Kirtland, New Mexico, was the Sculpture Gold Medal Award winner.
- When His Heart is Down, a bronze sculpture by Paul Moore of Norman, Oklahoma, was the Sculpture Silver Medal Award winner.
- Phil Epp of Newton, Kansas, received the Water Soluble Gold Medal Award for his painting, Hilltop.
- Mikel Donahue of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, received the Water Soluble Silver Medal Award for his painting, The Bronc Stomper.
- C. Michael Dudash of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, received the Drawing and Other
- Media Gold Medal Award for his charcoal and chalk drawing, Cowgirl.
- Tyler Crow of Hico, Texas, received the Drawing and Other Media Silver Medal Award for his charcoal drawing, Cow Camp Studio.
- The Buyers’ Choice Award, selected by show attendants, was awarded to Tyler Crow for his charcoal drawing, Cow Camp Studio.
The TCAA’s do not confer awards for their pieces in the Cowboy Crossings exhibition, instead choosing to offer cash scholarships to a select number of up-and-coming traditional artists. This year’s fellowship winners are:
- TCAA Fellowship for Cowboy Craftsmen recipients are Troy Flayharty and Graeme Quisenberry.
- Mike Eslick received the Emerging Artist Award.